Means for controlling electric or other motors.



No. 694,369. Patented Mar. 4, I902. E. R. GILL.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC OR OTHER MOTORS. (Application filed July 26,1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

"No. 694,369. Patented Mar. 4, I902.

' E. R. GILL. MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC OB OTHER MOTORS. (Application md July 25, 1898. (No Modal.)v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

ing is a specification."

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

EDWVIN'R. GlLL, OF ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY,'ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO ELEOTRITE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRIC OR OTHER MOTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 694,369, dated March 4, 1902.

Application filed July 25,1898.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN R. GILL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Englewood,in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and'use' ful Improvement in Means for Controlling Electric-or other Motors, of which the follow- My present invention has relation-to'means whereby the main controllers of electric cars. may be operated singly or in groups from a single master-switch.

It is the main object of my invention to provide means whereby a solenoid may be applied to the usual drum-controllers on electric cars in such a manner as to allow of step-by-step movement ineither direction on appropriate use of a master switch or manipulator at any point on a car or train of cars.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the class described which shall automatically turn the drum controller or controllers back to off position for all the car-motors whenever current-supply fails, whether by accident at the power-house or from another cause.

My invention is illustrated in a preferred form in the accompanying drawings, where- 1n- Figure l is a diagram of the principal elements of my preferred device and operatingcircuits. Fig. 2 is a diagram of the details of one of the selector devices employed in my device. Fig. 3 is a section on the line a 1), showing my preferred solenoid core and rack. Fig. 4 illustrates the motive mechanism in section on the top of a well-known controllerbox for electric cars. Fig.'5'is a plan View of the magnetic locking-valve, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the same. v

The top of a controller-box is shown at l in Fig. 4, and the usual rotating shaft at 2. To the end of this shaft I fix a gear-wheel 3, and surrounding the shaft and fastened to it is a spiral spring 4, tending always to bring the shaft 2 to the position corresponding to stoppage of the motors to be controlled. A straightrack 5 meshes with the gear 3, (see Fig. 4,) as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. This rack is preferably set into the side of a magnetic manner to the motors.

permitted in the opposite direction.

Serial No. 686,869. on model.)

core 6,which is adapted to slide back and forth within the solenoid 7 in a well-known manner. The coils of the solenoid 7 are indicated in Fig. 1 in two sections. The forward section 8 is shown in heavy dotted lines, and the rear section 9 is shown in lighter dotted lines. The section 8 is the active section, whosetend v ency is to pull the rack 5 inward, thus acting through the gear 3 to oppose the returning-spring 4 and admit current in the usual The windings 9 are opposed in magnetic effect to windings 8 and are of higher specific resistance, as indicated by the lighter dotted lines. When the two coils are in series,they have the same am pore-turns, but as they oppose each other their resultant magnetic effect is ml. The coil 9 is made of high resistance in order to reduce the continually-applied current to a minimum.

Onthe end of the solenoid-core 6 there is a cross-bar 10, carrying on its upper end two insulated contact-fingers 11 12 and on its lower end a piston-rod 13. The piston 14 on the end of the rod 12 plays within an appropriatecylinder15. Thiscylinderisfilled with an appropriate fluid, and the spaces on the two sides of the piston 14 are in communication through the pipe or passage 16.

The cone-valve 17 is held down to an ad* j ustable screw-pin abutment 18 by fluid-pressure existing when the piston 14movesinward, (or toward the right in Fig. 1 but pressure in the opposite direction effects the opening of said valve in a well-known manner. It will thus be seen that the piston 14 is free to move outward (or to theleft in Fig. 1) at full speed, while anadjustably-slow movement is alone I Since the piston 14 and its rod 13 are attached to the cross-head 10 on the operating-solenoid core, it is clear that my device makes it impossible to turn current on through controller 1 faster than a predetermined speed, while the return to a stopping position may .be effected as quickly as desired. At another point in the by-pass 16 I providea rotating valve or tap 19, having an opening 20, directed as shown in Fig. 1. This passage will complete the free passage through '16 when actuated by the spiral spring 21, which tends to keep it open. (See Fig. 6.) This spring is attached to the stem above the tap 19. Above the spring 21 there lies an armature 22, governed by the field-magnet 23, whose poles are shown at 24 25. The spring 21 in opening the valve 19 throws the armature 22 into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5; but when the magnet is energized it assumes the full-line position, thus closing the valve, as shown in Fig. 1. It is obvious that when the magnet 23 is energized and the valve 19 closed the fluid is unable to pass from one end of the cylinder 15 to the other, and the piston 14 is thus locked in place, and with it the solenoidcore, the gear 3, and the controller-shaft 2.

\Vhen the controller is in the off position, current passes by wire 26 to coil 8 and 9 in series, thence by wire-27 to magnet 23, wire 28, through coils of magnet 29, and out at 30. The magnet 29 acts to support an armature 31, which when it drops closes a short circuit around the high-resistance coil. 9 at 32. In order to operate these devices from a distance in a single group or several groups at a time, I provide a master-switch having a lever 33, moving over the desired number of contact-points a Z) 0 cl, corresponding to the desired stopping positions of the controller. Each contact a, b, c, and d is in permanent electrical connection with a corresponding fixed contact-piece ct, b, c, and d upon the solenoid 7, and over these latter contact-pieces the fingers 11 and 12 are made to move whenever the core 6 moves. Dead-blocks are placed one at each end of the row of contacts a, b, c, and (1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The finger 12 being shorter than the linger 11, when the latter rests upon any given block 12 will touch the block to the left of it in Figs. 1 and 2.

Cooperating with the metallic lever 33 are two frictional selectors. These consist of the levers 34 and 35, each split at the butt and embracing the pivotal shaft of the lever 33, so as to tend to always turn with it. Owing to the frictional nature of the connection, however, when a stop is placed in the path of either selector-lever 34 or 35 the lever 33 may still move onward at the mere expense of friction. On each side of the tip of each lever 34 35 is a terminal stop, placed so near to the median position of each lever that a slight movement of the main lever 33 suffices to break connection with one stop and establish contact with its opposite. The steps for lever 34 are shown, respectively, at 36 and 37, and the stops for lever 35 are shown at 38 and 39. It will be observed that whereas the lever 34 is made in a single conducting piece the lever 35 is made in two parts, separated electrically at 40. By this arrangement current entering the tip of lever 34 will pass directly to lever 33, while current admitted to the tip of lever 35 will pass only to wire 41, leading to magnet 29, as shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of my device is as follows: The controller being at the off position and being locked there by the magnet 23, which is energized by the constant current also passing through the m ritually-opposing solenoidwindings 8 and 9 and through the magnet 29, it is desired to turn the controller to admit current to the main motors. The lever 33 is turned to the right in Fig. 1 until it touches at a. This brings levers 34 and 35, respectively, in contact with 36 and 38, and the circuit established is as follows: entering at 26 through both coils 8 and 9, wire 27, magnet 23, wire 28, wire 41, stop 38, finger 11, contacts ct and a, lever 33, lever 34, stop 36, wire 42, and out at 30. A short circuit is thus thrown around the magnet 29 and armature 31 drops, closing a short circuit at 32 around both the magnet 23 and the high-resistance coil 9. This circuit enters at 26, goes through coil 8, thence by wire 43 to points 32, by wire 41, stop 38, finger 11, contacts ct and a, levers 33 and 34, stop 36, wire 42, and out at 30. The magnet 23 being short-circuited,the valve opens, and the unopposed coil 8 acts upon the solenoid-core to turn the controller to its first starting position. The fingers 11 and 12 move with the core 6 until the short circuit around magnet.29, above described, is broken at ct and finger 11 rests on Z). The armature 31 is at once raised and the short circuit at 32 is broken. Magnet 23 is again energized,locking the controller in position by closing valve 19, and the coil 9 again comes into circuit to nullify the action of coil 8. If the lever 36 be moved to any point farther to the right, the controller will be moved to a corresponding position by operations similar to that above described until at last the finger 12 rests upon the contact at and finger 11 on the dead-block next it. This corresponds to full speed of the controlled motors. If new the lever 33 be moved toward the left in Fig. 1, the first small movement will bring levers 34 and 35 in contact with stops 37 and 39, respectively, the tip of lever 33 still touching contact (I. This will have the effect of short-circuiting the magnet 23 only, as follows: from 26, through both coils 8 and 9, by wire 44 to 37, by levers 34 and 33, contacts d and d, finger 12, point 39, Wire 41, magnet 29, and out at 30. The solenoid will remain neutral; but the valve 19 being opened the spring 4 on the controller-shaft will be free to move it backward toward stopping position. This will move the finger 12 onto 0 and break the short-circuit at d. The magnet 23 will close valve 19, and the controller will again be locked. This operation can be repeated by reestablishing short-circuit of magnet 23 at c, b, and a, successively, until stopping position is again reached.

It is clear that the operation of returning to stopping position of the controller can be accomplished at any position of the lever 33 by simply tipping this lever backward suffiiently to throw levers 34 and 35 from one stop to the other and then moving the lever to such stop or stops as desired.

It is clear that if at any time current fails in the car the effect will be to denergize' the magnet 23, thus unlocking the controller and point by means of a solenoid acting step by step, asdesired.

The construction above shown andrdescribed may be varied indefinitely by the judgment of those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of my present invention, and I do not limit myself to the precise details herein shown and described.

What I claim is 1, In a system-of electric control, asolenoid for producing increase or decrease of power,

a hydraulic cylinder and a piston moving with said solenoid-core, a tube for permitting flow of liquid from end to end of said cylinder around said piston, and an automatic valve in said tube for retarding said flow in one direction while offering no substantial resistance in the opposite direction.

2. In a system of electric control, a powerregulator,a controlling-actuator therefor comprising a solenoid and core, said solenoid having two coils of practically equal opposing magnetic efiects, and means for cutting one of said coils out of circuit at will.

3. Ina system of electric control, a power- I regulatoria controlling-actuator comprising a solenoid and. core, said solenoid having two coils of practically equal opposing magnetic effects, a short circuit, as 32, around one of said coils, a magnet for keeping said short circuit open, and means for short-circuiting said magnet at will. I

- effects, a short circuit, as 32, around one of said coils, a magnet for keeping said short circuit open, a winding on said magnet coiled so as to counteract the active coils thereof,

and'means for passing current through said counteracting winding.

5. In a system of electric control, a powerregulator, a controlling-actuator comprising a solenoid and core, said solenoid having two coils of practically equal opposing magnetlc effects, but one being "of highenresistance' than vthe other, and means for cutting said high-resistance solenoid-coil out of circuit at will.

6. In a system of electric control, a solenoid having opposing windings a hydraulic cylin der and piston governing the movements of said solenoid, a valve controlling the liquid flow in said cylinder, a magnet governing said valve, a short circuit around saidmagnetand one of said opposing coils, anda second magnet governing said short circuit.

7. In a system of electric control,aninterrupting-switch wherein the movable member has two insulated brushes touching different stationary terminals, two magnets for governing the controlling-actuator,and a manipulator comprising twoautomatic selectors, as 3-4, 35, for selecting one or the other magnet, and one or the other brush of the interrupting-switch respectively.

8. In an electric car, the combination with the usual barrel switch-controller, of the solenoid-motor and governing-switch for oper ating the controller, said motor mechanic ally geared with the controller-shaft, and means for effecting retraction of the solenoidcore to the off position when the current is interrupted. v

9. In an electric car, the combination with the usual barrel switch-controller, of the so lenoid-motor and governing-switch for operating the controller, said motor mechanically geared with the controller-shaft, and a spring for effecting retraction of the solenoid-core to the off position where the current is inter rupted.

EDWIN R. GILL,

Witnesses:

HAROLD S. MAOKAYE, NELSON Hrss. 

